Blue Cart Recycling to Expand to the 49th Ward

I am pleased to report that the City of Chicago will expand the “Blue Cart” Recycling Program citywide, including the 49th Ward. The roll out of the blue carts will take place next year.

Mayor Emanuel announced the plan late last week and said the expansion was made possible through $2.2 million in savings realized from a competitive bidding process for recycling services. As the Mayor said in his press conference, “No longer will Chicago be a tale of two cities when it comes to recycling.”

The precise date the 49th Ward will receive the blue carts has not yet been determined, but the Mayor said the citywide expansion will be complete by the end of 2013.

The 49th Ward Green Corps and I launched a petition drive last month, urging the City of Chicago to expand the blue carts to Rogers Park and other Chicago neighborhoods that do not enjoy the benefits of curbside or alley recycling. We already collected nearly 1,000 signatures and were well on our way to our goal of 5,000 signatures.

Given the Mayor’s announcement, I’ve suspended the petition campaign. My thanks to all those who helped gather signatures.

I thank the Mayor for his announcement, which fulfills a pledge he made in his election campaign last year. I also thank and congratulate Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Tom Byrne and the hardworking City crews, who reduced the City’s recycling collection costs by 35 percent, which is 10 percent greater than projected initially.

As soon as I get more information on the precise timing of the blue cart expansion to the 49th Ward, I will let you know.